Explosive



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WENDELL R. SWINT, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF Patented July 8, 1919.

DELAWARE.

EXPLOSIVE.

1,309,553, Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing. Application filed January 31, 1918. Serial No. 214,638.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVENDELL R. SWINT, of WVilmington, in the county of New Castle, and in the State of Delaware, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Explosives, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to the production of high explosives having advantageous characteristics as hereinafter pointed out, such as blasting compositions.

The object of my invention is to provide explosives which do not freeze at various atmospheric temperatures. High explosives which freeze, as for example dynamites containing nitroglycerin, are the source of considerable danger in operations carried on by the use of the same, and especially because of the uncertainty of the condition of the dynamite when used, by reason of their tendency to freeze. Former attempts to produce non-freezing high explosives have ofttimes resulted in the production of explosives which would, in fact, freeze if the atmospheric temperature was sufliciently low, or, on the other hand, have resulted in the production of explosives which were so insensitive to detonation as to render their use hazardous. Nitrostarch has previously been used to produce dynamites of this character, but, if dynamites containing nitrostarch are made sufiicientlv plastic to meet the conditions desired, the explosive becomes too insensitive for the purposes desired, or else of such a character that it will freeze at atmospheric temperatures.

I have discovered, however, that nonfreezing explosives can be made avoiding the above disadvantages if I use as a basis thereof gun cotton of a high degree of nitration together with a liquid organic nitro compound or organic nitrate. Furthermore, compositions made in accordance with my invention are detonatable and can be used in commercial blasting, and in addition as military explosives, as for example, in bombs, grenades, mines, torpedoes, etc. Furthermore, the compositions made in accordance with my invention do not become insensitive to detonation by absorption of moisture, but can absorb as much as 3 to 10% of moisture while still being detonatable. Again said compositions are very insensitive to shock and can Withstand the impact of a rifle bullet or a 1 lb. shot from a cannon without detonating. Furthermore, they can be safely compressed to a high density without danger of explosion, but will even then still detonate when a suitable blasting cap is applied thereto.

The object of my invention is, therefore, to produce non-freezing explosives avoiding the above disadvantages by the use of such gun cotton having a high degree of nitration and a liquid organic nitro compound or organic nitrate.

* Further objects of my invention will appear from the detailed description thereof contained hereinafter.

WVhile my invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, for the purpose of illustration I shall describe only certain forms of my invention hereinafter.

For example, non-freezing explosives may be made in accordance with my invention as follows: In making such non-freezing explosives, I make use of gun cotton of a high degree of nitration, such for example as gun cotton containing approximately 13% of nitrogen and commonly referred to in the trade as high grade. When gun cotton containing a somewhat lower percentage of nitrogen is dissolved or colloided by liquid organic nitro compounds or organic nitrates, such as nitrobenzol or nitroglycerin, a prod uct extremely insensitive to detonation is obtained. When, however, a high-grade gun cotton is mixed with liquid organic nitro compounds or nitrates, a mixture is obtained which detonates completely and easily with commercial blasting caps. Such compositions may be used alone, if desired, but I find that it is preferable to use in conjunction therewith oxygen-carrying salts, such for instance as sodium or potassium nitrate. Explosives made in this manner do not freeze at any atmospheric temperature, and they may be made very plastic and with the desired density and with varying degrees of explosive strengths, according to the nature of the work for which they are to be used. Furthermore, by producing explosives which do not contain nitroglycerin, the severe and nauseating headaches and other disagreeable and dangerous maladies which result from the handling of explosives containing nitroglycerin are avoided.

One example of an explosive made in accordance with my invention would be the This composition may, however. be varied to a considerabledegree by varying the proportions or lpy adding other ingredients to give explosives having diflerent strengths, velocities of detonation, densities, etc.

By using-in addition certain percentages of gun cotton of a lower degree of nitration, as for example the commonly used soluble gun cotton containing about 12.25% of nitrogen,.I can, furthermore, obtain explosives having the physical and explosive characteristics of the gelatin dynamites. Explosives made in this manner have all of the advantageous characteristics of gelatin dynamites while avoiding their disadvantages.

One example of such an explosion would be the following:

Gun cotton of high nitration 35% Gun cotton of lower nitration 1% Liquid nitroxylenes 40% Sodium nitrate 24% The proportions of the ingredients in this composition may, of course, be varied to a considerable extent and other ingredients may be added thereto, if desired.

In any of these compositions, furthermore, it is to be understood that many other nitro derivatives of hydrocarbons may be used instead of the nitroxylenes, as for example nitrobenzol, nitrotoluol and other homologues of the benzene series.

The expressions nitrated hydrocarbon or nitro-hydrocarbon, as used throughout the specification and claims include nitro-xylene, nitrobenzene, nitrotoluene or other nitrated homologues of the benzene series, or, since they are substantial equivalents for the present purpose, a mixture of two or more of these nitro compounds. The ternr high grade guncotton, used in the specification and claims, refers to an insoluble nitrocellulose having a nitrogen content of 13% or above, whether the nitrocellulose is obtained by the nitration of cotton or by the nitration of some other form of cellulose.

Furthermore, it will be understood that the advantageous characteristics obtained by using nitrocellulose of high nitration, either alone or mixed with nitrocellulose of lower nitration, may be taken advantage of also by using nitroglycerin instead of the other organic nitro compounds hereinabove referred to.

Furthermore, instead of the sodiumand potassium nitrate referred to, I may use barium nitrate.

WVhile I have described my invention above in detail, I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton and a liquid organic nitrated compound.

2. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton and a liquid nitro derivative of a hydrocarbon.

3. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton and a liquid nitro derivative of an aromatic hydrocarbon.

4. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton and a nitroxylol.

5. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton, a liquid nitrated hydrocarbon, and soluble gun cotton.

6. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton, a liquid nitrated hydrocarbon, and an oxygen-carrying salt.

7. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton, a liquid nitrated hydrocarbon, soluble gun cotton, and an oxygen-carrying salt.

8. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton, a liquid nitrated hydrocarbon, and sodium nitrate.

9. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton, a nitroxylol, and sodium nitrate.

10. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton, a liquid nitrated hydrocarbon, soluble gun cotton, and sodium nitrate.

11. An explosive composition containing high grade gun cotton, a nitroxylol, soluble gun cotton and sodium nitrate.

12. An explosive compound comprising high grade gun cotton and a liquid nitro hydrocarbon in proportions respectively greater than 34% and 24% of the compound and sodium nitrate.

13. An explosive composition comprising high grade gun cotton 35%, soluble gun cotton 1%, liquid nitro hydrocarbon 40%, and sodium nitrate 24%.

14. An explosive composition comprising high grade gun cotton 35 to 40%, liquid nitro hydrocarbon 25 to 40% and sodium nitrate 25 to 35%.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

WVEN DELL R. SWINT.

Witnesses:

P. E. STRIGKLAND, H. L. BRADLEY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

